Abstract: The James Ralston Caldwell papers include materials relating to the Loyalty Oath
Controversy on the University of California and the University of Nevada campuses, a small amount of material
relating to Caldwell's writing, and personal papers containing correspondence and materials concerning
Caldwell's death. Correspondents include Reginald Francis Arragon, George Boas, Arthur H. Brayfield, the
University of California Board of Regents, Robert G. Sproul, Group for Academic Freedom, Charlton Laird, and
personal correspondence between James Caldwell and his wife Katherine Field (Katherine Ehrgott Caldwell) and
with Caldwell's sister Josephine Caldwell.

Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English

Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice
may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the
library's online catalog.

Information for Researchers

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from
manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services. Permission for publication is given
on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Printed materials have been transferred to the book collection of The Bancroft Library.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public
access catalog.

Caldwell, James Ralston, 1900-1965--Archives

Field, Katherine--Correspondence

University of California (1868-1952)

University of Nevada

Oaths--California

Oaths--Nevada

Authors, American--California--Berkeley

Minutes.

Faculty papers.

Poems.

Reviews.

Manuscripts for publication.

Brayfield, Arthur H

Arragon, Reginald Francis

Boas, George, 1891-

Laird, Charlton Grant, 1901-

Sproul, Robert Gordon, 1891-1975

Field, Katherine

Caldwell, Josephine

University of California (1868-1952). Regents

Group for Academic Freedom

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

The James Ralston Caldwell papers were given to The Bancroft Library by Katherine Field Caldwell on January
9, 1967. Additions were made by Dan Caldwell on May 5, 2004.

Accruals

No additions are expected.

Processing Information

Processed by Alison E. Bridger in 2004.

Chronology

1900

Born on Jan. 20 in Hastings, Minnesota.

1922

Received baccalaureate from Princeton University, major in philosophy.

1925

Received A.M. from University of Wisconsin, in English.

1929

On September 1, married Katherine Field Ehrgott.

1930

Awarded Ph.D. from Harvard.

Joined University of California faculty in Berkeley, California, as assistant professor of
English.

1946

Attained professorship at the University of California.

1950-1951

Loyalty Oath Controversy at the University of California.

1965

Died on April 4.

Scope and Content of Collection

The James Ralston Caldwell papers include materials relating to the Loyalty Oath Controversy on the University
of California and the University of Nevada campuses, a small amount of material relating to Caldwell's writing,
and personal papers containing correspondence and materials concerning Caldwell's death. Correspondents include
Reginald Francis Arragon, George Boas, Arthur H. Brayfield, the University of California Board of Regents,
Robert G. Sproul, Group for Academic Freedom, Charlton Laird, and personal correspondence between James Caldwell
and his wife Katherine Field (Katherine Ehrgott Caldwell) and with Caldwell's sister Josephine Caldwell.

The Loyalty Oath Controversy began when Universities around the country insisted on faculty and staff to sign
oath of loyalty to the United States and state that they did not belong or believe in any organizations
advocating the overthrow of the United States government including the Communist Party. In 1949 the University
of California instituted such an oath and 31 professors and many university employees were dismissed for not
signing. A Loyalty Oath was also instituted at the University of Nevada where professor Frank Richardson was
fired for refusing to sign and took the University to court. The Caldwell papers include correspondence relating
to the controversy at the University of California as well as other campuses across the United States, different
University of California committee papers relating to the controversy, and documents and clippings about the
dismissal proceedings by the University of Nevada against Frank Richardson.

Materials relating to Caldwell's writing includes letters of praise for his work John Keats Fancy,
correspondence about his poetry and to his wife about publishing an unfinished work after his death. Manuscripts
include, "Consider the Source," "What to Tell the Emperor," other essays and some poems. Also included are some
reviews of Caldwell's work as well as reviews done by Caldwell and a list of publications by Caldwell from early
in his career in 1939.

The personal papers of James Caldwell include correspondence, and items relating to his death. Correspondence
is between Caldwell and his wife, most during their years of courtship while Caldwell was still in Wisconsin and
Katherine was in Cambridge, Mass., and while Katherine was traveling in Italy and Greece. Also includes
correspondence with Caldwell's sister, Josephine Caldwell, and a small amount of correspondence from other
family members.

Container List

SERIES 1
Loyalty Oath Controversy1949-1963

Physical Description:
Box 1

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically.

Scope and Content Note

In three subseries: correspondence, University of California subject files and University of Nevada subject
files.

Subseries 1.1
Correspondence1949-1963

Physical Description:
Box 1, folders 1-10

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically then alphabetically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains correspondence between Caldwell and colleges concerning the Loyality Oath Controversy at the
University of California and elsewhere.

Caldwell, James Ralston.

Box 1, Folder 1

Outgoing1949-1963

Incoming

Box 1, Folder 2

Arragon, Reginald Francis.
1951-1952

Box 1, Folder 3

Boas, George.
1950

Box 1, Folder 4

Brayfield, Arthur H.
1951

Box 1, Folder 5

University of California (1868-1952). Regents.
1950

Box 1, Folder 6

Sproul, Robert Gordon.
1949-1950

Box 1, Folder 7

Group for Academic Freedom.
1950-1951

Box 1, Folder 8

Laird, Charlton Grant.
1953-1955

Box 1, Folder 9

Miscellaneous A-L1950-1963

Box 1, Folder 10

Miscellaneous M-Z1950-1951

Subseries 1.2
University of California Subject Files1949-1960

Physical Description:
Box 1, folders 11-24

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains files of various committees on campus that dealt with the Loyality Oath, Caldwell's notes, and
other information conerning the controversy.

Box 1, Folder 11

Committee on Academic Freedom.1950-1951

Box 1, Folder 12

Committee on Privilege and Tenure.1950

Box 1, Folder 13

Committee on Welfare of non-Senate Academic Employees.[1950?]

Box 1, Folder 14

Faculty Committee on Financial Assistance.[1950?]-1951

Special Unified Committee on Tenure.

Box 1, Folder 15-16

Minutes1950-1953

Box 1, Folder 17

Proposed amendments1953-1955

Box 1, Folder 18

Reports1952-1954

Box 1, Folder 19

Memoranda1953-1955

Box 1, Folder 20

Miscellaneous 1953-1955

Box 1, Folder 21

Material about Loyalty Oath1949-[1951]

Box 1, Folder 22

James Caldwell's notes[ca. 1950]

Box 1, Folder 23

Clippings[1950-1959]

Box 1, Folder 24

Special Combined Senate Committee on University Extension.1960

Subseries 1.3
University of Nevada Subject Files1952-1956

Physical Description:
Box 1, folders 25-26

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains reports and clippings on the Loyality Oath controversy on the University of Nevada campus and
the case of Frank Richardson, who was fired for refusing to sign.

In two subseries: correspondence, and manuscripts, reviews, and list of publications.

Subseries 2.1
Correspondence1946-1979

Physical Description:
Box 2, folders 1-3

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains correspondence to James Caldwell and later his wife concerning his writing.

Box 2, Folder 1

Regarding book
John Keats Fancy1946

Box 2, Folder 2

Regarding poetry1964

Box 2, Folder 3

Regarding unfinished work1965-1979

Subseries 2.2
Manuscripts, Reviews, and List of Publications1939-1961

Physical Description:
Box 2, folders 4-13

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains a small amount of manuscripts, reviews by and of Caldwell and a list of publications by
Caldwell.

Box 2, Folder 4

Consider the Sourceundated

Box 2, Folder 5

Lecture notes on Byron[ca. 1961]

Box 2, Folder 6

Tribute to Dr. Meiklejohn in ACLU News1957

Box 2, Folder 7

What to Tell the Emperorundated

Box 2, Folder 8

Essaysundated

Box 2, Folder 9

Poemsundated

Box 2, Folder 10

Miscellaneous manuscriptsundated

Reviews

Box 2, Folder 11

of James Ralston Caldwell's work1946

Box 2, Folder 12

by Caldwell, James Ralston1960-1961

Box 2, Folder 13

List of publications1939

SERIES 3
Personal Papers1925-1988

Physical Description:
Box 2, folders 14-17, Box 3

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically.

Scope and Content Note

In three subseries: correspondence, materials relating to death of James Ralston Caldwell and miscellaneous
items.

Subseries 3.1
Correspondence1925-1988

Physical Description:
Box 3

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically and then chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains correspondence between James Ralston Caldwell and Katherine Field (Katherine Ehrgott Caldwell)
before and after their marriage, letters from James Ralston Caldwell and Katherine Field to James' sister
Josephine Caldwell, a small amount of incoming correspondence to Katherine Field and a few miscellaneous
family letters.

Caldwell, James Ralston

Box 3, Folder 1-9

to Field, Katherine.1926-1959

Box 3, Folder 10

from Field, Katherine.1929

Box 3, Folder 11-14

to Caldwell, Josephine.1955-1964

Field, Katherine.

Box 3, Folder 15

to Caldwell, Josephine.1956-1965

Box 3, Folder 16

Incoming miscellaneous1924, undated

Box 3, Folder 17

Caldwell family miscellaneous1931, 1966, 1988

Subseries 3.2
Death of James Ralston Caldwell1965

Physical Description:
Box 2, folders 14-16

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains condolences on Caldwell's death, copy of eulogies and obituaries.

Box 2, Folder 14

Condolence letters1965

Box 2, Folder 15

Eulogies1965

Box 2, Folder 16

Obituaries1965

Subseries 3.3
Miscellaneous Items1957, 1977, undated

Physical Description:
Box 2, folder 17

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains a library card of James Ralston Caldwell, resume of Katherine Field for travel to the Peoples
Republic of China and an unidentified piece of manuscript music.